Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1887-12-16
SINISTER LAWYER TACTICS,
From the American Cultivator.l

There appears to be a growing tendency
among certain writers upon equine topics |
to adopt the tactics of shyster lawyers.
and make any statement which may
appear likely to help their theories or
their side of an argument, even though
their assertions are in direct opposition
to facts. We regret to note that among
the number so inclined are some of the
contributors to Wallace's Monthly, a
publication to which many of the horse
breeders look for facts which they hope
may guide them to success in producing
speedy trotters.
Some time in the early part of the past
summer, Mr.. Joseph Battell of Middle
bury, VT, who has spent much time and
money in tracing obscure pedigrees, an
nounced through the Middlebury REGIS
TER that he had unearthed the breeding
of old pacing Pilot, and found that he
was by son of the original Justin Nor
gan, known as the Hawkins Horse,
whose description will doubtless interest
many of our readers, and we will digress
sufficient to give it. This Hawkins
Horse, according to Linsley, in his essay
on Morgan Horses" was foaled in lS06
or 1907, the property of Mr.. Melvin, st.
bloomsbury, VT He was sired by the
Justin Morgan. His dam was a bay,
about fifteen hands high, of fine form
n nd action u
black horse brought from Connecticut,
and said to have been an imported
thoroughbred racer, but it is not probable
that he was. as we can find no record of
sufficiently near to render it probable
that his dam could have been sired by
such horse. When three years old Mr..
Melvin sold him to Olney Hawkins, a
near neighbor.
Hawkins was captain of a troop, and
bought the colt to use as parade horse.
After keeping him five or six years he
sold him to his brother Stephen, who
kept him two years at st. Johnsbury,
Vt, and then took him to Stanstead,
Canada East. Here the horse remained
Stanstead he was taken to Upper Canada,
but after this we are unable to trace him,
and do not know where he was kept, or
when he died. He was a jet black, about
fifteen hands high, not quite so compact
as his sire, little taller and very little
heavier. His shoulders, back and lion
were excellent. He carried his head
high, had a bold, resolute and vigorous
style of action, and was undoubtedly the
fastest of the six sons of Justin Morgan
which were kept entire. He was smart
trotter and good runner. His eye was a
little fierce in its expression, and he was
inclined to be cross and less tractable
than the others. He was one of the best
acting and finest looking horses under
the saddle ever in the State.
Mr.. Battell asserts that he traced Pilot
through all the hands that he passed to
his breeder, who took him to Montreal
and sold him to a pedler. These facts
WE'RE at OHSC III lilC NQlllNdlOl
and copied by the above mentioned
monthly with a column of comments, a
part of which ran in this style: "This
is all very refreshing and very amusing
What pity that this light has been hid
den all these years. Since fame first be-
gan to dawn on the Pilot line, all that
honest investigation could do as to un-
earthing the origin of the famous old
PAGER has not even revealed where he
came from. Tradition says he came from
Canada, and family characteristics tend
to confirm that tradition, but that is all
No one has ever assumed to know who
brought him from Canada, and the simple
truth is, no man knows even where he
came from" Hold on, young man
Isn't that putting it rather strongG You
assume that because you are Ignorant
concerning this matter, that no mar
knows even where Pilot came from